The present invention relates to a device for lifting and lowering the spare wheel of vehicles such as cars and trucks, which comprises a safety device capable of generating a signal, e.g. a luminous one, which can be easily detected by the user, when the wheel has been properly secured in the lifting device.
Devices for lifting and lowering a spare wheel from/into the respective compartment in the vehicle are known which comprise an actuator, a flexible cable and a striker element for said wheel, connected to one end of said cable.
The actuator pulls the cable, so that the striker element, on which the wheel has been positioned, firmly anchors the wheel in the compartment or housing where it is normally located.
When one of the vehicle's wheels gets punctured, it must be replaced; once removed, the flat wheel must be placed into its housing.
It is normally difficult to verify if the wheel has been correctly positioned into its housing under the vehicle.
Improper anchorage may cause the spare wheel to fall over time, resulting in possible damage to the vehicle and to third parties, especially in the event that the wheel falls while the vehicle is moving.
Typically the system is operated mechanically by turning a wrench and pulling said flexible cable.
In such devices it is difficult to determine if the wheel has been lifted and anchored successfully.
The increasing effort required on the wrench for operating the actuator is not a sufficient indication that the spare wheel has been properly anchored in the correct position; in fact, in some cases the wheel may not be seated correctly and abut against the edges of the housing, so that it cannot be fully and properly inserted into its compartment.
In this incorrect position, the user will nevertheless perceive an increasing resistance when turning the wrench, which may be mistaken for the correct end-of-travel position of a properly seated wheel.